4 Rules For Hiring a Home Improvement Contractor
Home Improvement Contractors are Not All Created Equal.
Hiring a home improvement contractor can be quite an involved process. Each and every job around the house that requires a specialists should be researched thoroughly, but the rules for hiring a professional are always basically the same. In order to get the correct home improvement contractor for your project, there are 4 basic tenets to follow: Communication is Key, Hire a Real Contractor, Don’t DIY, and Shop Around. Interested in more detail? Read on!
Rule #1: Communication is Key
This rule is first because it is absolutely the most important. You must effectively communicate your expectations and desires to the home improvement contractor, and they must be able to openly and clearly communicate with you. Almost every potential issue that might arise can be solved beforehand with open communication to and from your home improvement contractor. So long as you are dealing with a reputable contractor, you should have no issues with communication. Additionally, reputable contractors have no issue with putting their promises and your desires into writing. Any home improvement contractor who won’t might not be one you want to work with.
Rule #2: Don’t Hire The Door-To-Door Guy
This rule seems pretty common sense, but you’d be surprised how many people fall for this routine scam. If you’re a homeowner, no doubt you’ve gotten a knock on your front door by an “entrepreneurial” handyman that has what seems like a great offer. Maybe they’re doing a project in the neighborhood and could do yours at a discount while they’re out there. Maybe they “noticed” an issue that you didn’t know existed and would be happy to fix it. Or maybe they’ve got a free service that they’d love to perform while they’re in the neighborhood. Whatever the case is, you didn’t solicit their services, and there is a high chance chance that you might be the next target of a dishonest, disreputable, or downright scammy outfit. Not that all door-to-door guys are scam artists, but you’d be surprised how often we come across a job done in a shoddy manner by a company we’ve never heard of that doesn’t even have a mailing address. If you are interested in their help, politely ask them for a business card and do your research before hiring them to do anything, and NEVER agree to any services, even if they’re free, on the spot.
Rule #3: Most Home Improvement Jobs are Not DIY
Would you be surprised to learn that about half of our repair and replace projects are a direct result of DIY work? There’s no denying the appeal of saving money by using a workaround, but we have some advice: unless you are a professional home improvement contractor, Don’t DIY! There’s a reason that home improvement contractors exist: most projects are not DIY. Not to say that it’s impossible… certainly, a crafty DIY’er can pull off a great looking project, but it’s extremely rare and almost never done to a professional level. We’ve redone plenty of DIY projects that were downright dangerous. A professional home improvement contractor like Lonestar will do a professional job, meaning it will be up to code, safe for all uses, and (especially if you followed rule 1) will turn out exactly how you wanted it to. If there’s even the slightest shadow of a doubt that you can pull of a DIY job, don’t do it!
Rule #4: Always Shop Around
Maybe this isn’t advice you’d expect to hear from a home improvement contractor, but it’s great advice nonetheless. You should always shop around to find the right contractor for your next project. There are plentiful home improvement contractors out there, and it’s up to you to find the company that will do the correct job and the correct price. Beware of bids that are far too low, there is generally a good reason this outfit has to charge less. Also, be sure that the high ends bids are going above and beyond to earn their higher price tag. The more you shop around, the more likely you are to be satisfied with your hire.
Contact Lonestar Siding & Windows
We’d love to be your next home improvement contractor, and we’ve catered our business around fulfilling each and every one of these rules to provide Richmonders with the best possible home improvement service available. We pride ourselves on dutiful and open communication. We have an impeccable reputation that doesn’t include deceptive door-to-door sales tactics. We are not an outfit of DIY’ers – we hold ourselves to the highest levels of professionalism in each and every job we do. And finally – we don’t mind if you shop around! As a matter of fact, we offer free quotes and a no-pressure sales approach for this very reason.
If there’s anything we can help you with, don’t hesitate to contact us online, send us a message on Facebook, or give us a ring! If you’ve got a project and you want Richmond’s best home improvement contractor to take a look, request a free quote!
